Royal Highland Hotel

This hotel has rested on its laurels. From before I stepped in, it was looking bad. There was a couple of gents in wheelchairs but the ramp is too steep and slippy in the wet for a wheelchair, so i had to help them in. My room was in the gods and was awful ! Damp patches everywhere, room too small for a double bed and plaster falling off the walls and ceiling. Reception were not too keen to change my room but eventually did. Next the chef was finished for the evening so I couldn't get any food. The bar couldn't put anything on my room or take a credit card. all in all a bad experience. At £80 a night this is not a good hotel !

I got a cheap deal for this hotel online and thought it'd be fine as I was only staying one night, arriving late. However, this turned out to be a mistake. I walked upstairs and further and further away from the reception, and eventually found my room at the end of a corridor beside the fire escape. Even before I went in the room there was a loud humming in the general area, like an air-conditioning unit. Unfortunately, this noise continued inside and combined with the stuffy odour of the very small dank room, was enough to send me back to reception where I was given a nice room in the central area. I can see why the reviews here vary between very good and very poor - depends where you have to sleep!

Upon arrival i was greeted by a lovley smile and was given all the details i needed to know for my stay. Even discount vouchers for the Ash Bar! Hotel was very busy and all staff seemed to be able to cope with the pressure put on them. Our room had everything we needed - a nice big TV, bath and shower and was immaculate. Dinner was fab! B-fast could do with improving as it being buffet style they should maybe replace the food more often. Or could i suggest doing the food to order? Check out was quick and painless unlike other hotels i have stayed at! You MUST visit this hotel!!!

Booked directly with hotel. Arrived to a lovely smiling face, booked into room at 2.30pm everything fine, the room was very comfortable I had reason to contact maintenance and they arrived within 10 mins. Food in the the Ash Restaurant was wonderful no complaints there, good choice on the menu, and staff very pleasant. The breakfast was wonderful as well, no complaints from me, enjoyed every minute of my stay and planing to go back

Its like stepping back in time as you enter the main lobby and the magnificent staircase greets you. Comfy chairs in the lounge area where we sat and enjoyed fresh ground coffee and home baked scones and cakes. Our rooms were magnificent and very spacious, we were on the 2nd floor and our friends on the 1st floor. They seem to have been decorating and i believe the freshness of the rooms may be following the smoking ban, although they do say the majority has been non smoking throughout and perhaps a frustrated guest had a fly one out the windows! I overheard the 3rd floor is being renovated and if the rooms are as nice as ours were then no complaints.Our dinner was excellent and we feasted on a hearty breakfast and overindulged on the magnificent buffet choice. we will return on our next trip to the Highlands and look forward to the warm welcome we had from all. If anyone wants to feel like a Duke or Duchess, its paintings and antiquities abound and it feels warm and welcoming rather than some square box hotel rooms. Please pay them a visit and see for yourself.

My husband and I have stayed at the Royal Highlander several times. It's lobby is beautiful (the staircase was used in "The Titanic") and our rooms have always been large and plesant. The location is great as we always travel by rail when in the UK. We've never had any problems with service, value, cleanliness or noise.

This was our second stay at this hotel. We love the location at the rail station and close to city center making it possible to walk to most sights and parks. There is a taxi que outside the door and the visitors center is just a few blocks away. This time we were there a week and left our luggage there while we took a three day trip to Orkney. We picked our luggage up during a short train connection to Glasgow. Upon arrival in Glasgow, we realized we had forgotten to pick up one of our smaller bags. We called the hotel, gave them our credit card number. They carefully boxed it and air mailed it to the USA for us. It is a comfortable, Victorian hotel. Great breakfasts. We usually find other places to have our evening meal. We will return and recommend it to others.

Met on arrival by a sour faced receptionist and then things got really bad. Dinner was inedible. Many diners leaving most of their food. My chicken curry was indescribable with the chicken only meeting the rice for the first time on the plate. Wine in the restaurant has to be paid for in cash and can’t be added to hotel bill. Room ok, if a little but scruffy, but breakfast almost as bad of dinner. Coffee cold and eggs tasted of stale fat. If you have to go to Inverness, don’t stay here. The rates are cheap, but reflect a very poor standard. If you are around the town you’ll find litter everywhere.

Our first night was spent in Room 320, an attic garrett converted into a guest room. One tiny window up in the eaves, covered with 20 coats of paint let in almost no light and there were not enough lamps to see/read well. Mattress hasn't been changed out since WWII! Room 320 is also over the train station soyou get to hear all of the announcements quite clearly at all times (wear earplugs if you are light sleeper) and also the seagulls diving over the station in the early morning hours. Plumbing ok however with nice deep bathtub and high quality free shampoo, lotion and shower gel. If you stay here, do not accept any rooms on the 3rd floor as most are attic garrett rooms that were once probably used for servants quarters. After complaining several times to a staff of Eastern Europeans who didn't understand much English, we were moved to Room 107. Nice high ceiling, two double beds, better decor with nice reproduction prints, but with sagging mattresses that have seen better days. First floor room smelled of smoke and has a large ashtray even though we specified Non Smoking rooms. Believe first floor is reserved for smokers as halls reeked of smoke and the smell came in under our door too. Breakfast buffet included with our ORbitz room rate was tasty, excellent black pudding and haggis included. Lobby has been redone and is attractive but the new management (Indian-run hotel group) still needs to redo many of the guest rooms. Also be aware that there is major road construction going on in central Inverness and the Station Square parking lot in front of hotel is closed. Thankfully we know the area and were able to navigate through the town to the Rose Street Garage - the only lot in town where you can park a car overnight. Even with 24 Hour CCTV in garage, it is still advisable to remove all luggage/valuables and take them into your hotel in the evenings. We hiked through the bus depot,and then through the train station outdoor parking, and then through the station with our bags into the hotel - about 5 minutes walk altogether. If you need local advice, get it from day shift hotel desk clerks who have a better command of English and also seem to know the area better. Dining tips: We ate twice at McNabs at the Columba Hotel down on the Ness River - excellent local bistro style food in a very attractive dining/bar area. The formal restaurant in the Columba was bit more that we were looking for so McNabs filled the bill. Friendly staff with good command of English. Had lunch at Abstract, owned by the Glenmorriston Hotel. This place is trying too hard to be trendy - very modern decor without one element of local connection that could be anywhere but the Highlands. Menu items did draw on local food/produce, with a French twist. If you do not enjoy eating with loud pop music in the background, eat elsewhere. We ate lunch there on a Sunday which is, according to the staff, Rock & Roll lunch. Led Zeppelin and eating lunch together don't work for me! Complained about the music and the temporarily disconnected the blasting and loud Led Zeppelin. While the chef and kitchen crew might like it, we doubted that the other diners did (retired couples after church mostly). On the plus side, there is stylish cocktail bar area serving expensive mixed drinks. Drink here, eat elsewhere unless you enjoy loud music with your meals. Staff had problems understanding English - either Eastern European or French. If your server doesn't understand English, ask for the Maitre 'D. Also, staff is inclined to snatch away plates of half-eaten food, so be watchful of where you put your fork if in between bites. A French speaking waitress approached several times and said "You enjoyed your food, non?" and then grabbed my plate, which I told her to put back immediately.

My wife and I, having spent the preceeding Friday and Saturday night in a tent in Ullapool, decided to end our September weekend holiday with a comfortable stay in a comfortable hotel. We chose the Royal Highland in Inverness, which for a traveller without a car would be ideal in location, as it is right beside Inverness railway station. We, however, found no difficulty in parking. We were probably just lucky, as there are only about 9 parking spaces for the entire hotel. The hotel itself is really quite nice, lovely reception foyer, with a magnificent staircase leading to the upper floors. A nice lounge bar is adjacent too (handy). The room was very comfortable, although not the largest. Usual facilities, TV, tea/coffee, hairdryer etc. FANTASTIC shower. We had had a pretty hectic weekend, attending a festival, so opted to omit breakfast (8-9.30) in favour of a lie in. BUT despite check-out being, 10.30, our door was opened at 09.15, whilst we were still in bed - not very appropriate. Mind you, we COULD have made use of the do not disturb sign, but didn't. All in all, a decent hotel for a decent price, and we would definitely stay again.